1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to means and to a method directed to preventing the opening of joints between facing slabs secured to the posts of the frame structure of an industrialized house.
The function of these means is to counteract the relative movements of the slabs which are caused by shrinking and distortion cycles resulting from temperature variations.
Accessorily, these means, by rigidly assembling on the one hand the face forming slabs and on the other hand the frame structure, permit the including of the facing thus obtained in the calculation of the facade wind-bracing.
The means according to the present invention consist essentially of a fish-plate bridging the joint of which the width is to be controlled, the fish-plate being rigidly secured to the slabs forming said joint with their adjacent edges.
This invention is directed more particularly to means implemented for preventing any movement of the fish-plate in relation to the slabs, in contrast to the conventional plays accepted in the building industry.
It is obvious that the use of standard bolts for fixing the fish-plate to the slabs is not sufficient for safely holding the slabs against movement, were the diameter of the through or blind holes formed in the slabs is substantially greater than the diameter ot the shanks of the corresponding bolts.
2. Summary of the Invention
To avoid this inconvenience, the present invention provides, for the fish-plate and the slabs, additional anchoring means such that a projection of one element engages without play a cavity of the other element.
This playless fitting is obtained according to the instant invention by forming the "projection" on request, i.e. as a function of the corresponding cavity.
This result is obtained by forming the projection coaxially with the hole intended for the fixing bolt, which is formed through the fish-plate. This hole is provided with radial slits providing a weaker area of incipient distortion. The slab cavity is disposed concentrically to the socket-nut engageable by the bolt.
Thus, when the bolt is screwed into the socket-nut, the fish-plate undergoes a distortion and the boss thus formed is driven without play like a punch into the cavity since the latter acts as a die during the plate distortion.
To facilitate this stamping action, a washer is interposed between the bolt head (or an intermediate element) and the fish-plate.
The bolts serve the dual purpose of fixing the fish-plate to the slabs and anchoring the slabs to the posts of the frame structure of the house.
In this case the punch-forming washer is disposed between the fish-plate and the conventional lug disposed under the bolt head.
Other features and advantages of the present invention are set out in the following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawings.